New Canadian fees will cripple the genre

[miel]

Canadian Government to Charge International Touring Artists $425 per Band Member per Performance in Canada, Previously A 1 Time $150 Fee

An additional $275.00 fee has been added by the Canadian Government to the application for international artists to enter and perform within Canada.

This additional $275.00 fee - applications previously were a one time fee of $150.00, and now total $425 per band member - is required to be paid by talent buyers in Canada when aiming to host an international touring artist. This will inevitably cripple small music venues and small business talent buyers.

As the Calgary Herald reports,

"The new rules, which quietly came into effect July 31, will double, triple or even quadruple the cost of bringing in international artists to perform in bars, restaurants or coffee shops..."

Today we take a stand for the development of culture and performance arts.

The implications of allowing such additional fees will hinder the potential for talented international artists whom simply aim to perform for their fans and expand their recognition. Canada's introduction of such a fee should not be taken lightly, nor excused. The development of our culture on a global scale and the opportunity to invite talents from beyond our borders is something to be cherished and appreciated, not taxed in such a way that will only discourage Canadian talent buyers from welcoming international talent.

With this inflation of upfront fees associated to bringing an international artist to Canada, the government is taking a clear stance of desired control over a culture that blossoms with freedom and deserve support rather than increased financial responsibility.

Sign your name to this petition and share it with those whom you feel will also stand behind challenging such a greedy and unmerited demand that will strangle local small businesses and those attempting to welcome international talent to Canada, growing our cultural diversity and global notoriety.


To:
Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment, Social Development & Multiculturalism
Remove $275 Application Fee for International Touring Musicians
Sincerely,
[Your name]


Sign the petition via Change.org here


~Jen

 

[labrekk]

Canadian Government to Charge International Touring Artists $425 per Band Member per Performance in Canada, Previously A 1 Time $150 Fee

http://www.calgaryherald.com/entert...musicians+threaten+smaller/8842759/story.html

The regulations require that any venue with a primary business other than music but which also books bands or performers must now pay an application fee of $275 per musician and those travelling with the band (tour manager, sound person, guitar tech, etc.) when it applies for a Labour Market Opinion, or LMO, to allow those outside workers to perform and work in their establishment. That’s also in addition to an extra $150 for each approved musician and crew member’s work permit.

Prior to the changes, the fee was simply $150 per band member, maxing out at $450, and that was a one-time fee for them to simply enter the country, which allowed venue owners across Canada to share the nominal cost or book them separately at no extra charge.

Does a fee like this already exists in the USA? If this fee happens, there goes the chance to see bands like Firewind, Edguy, Primal Fear and the likes tour Canada in the future, because sometimes they play in special venues found by the promoter, not always a music venue.
This sucks bad. You should go and sign the petition even if you're not in the USA.

https://www.change.org/en-CA/petiti...ormance-in-canada-previously-a-1-time-150-fee

 

[labrekk]

Well, we posted at the same time as it seems...

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Pretty horrible. Really hope it doesn't go through..

 

[Stingray11214]

That fee is the "Promote Canadian Music" fee. They did the same thing in 1997 when Ottawa mandated all music stations playlists must be 2/3 Canadian artists. That is how Nickelback became as big as they did. With this fee, Ottawa is forcing promoters to promote Canadian artists, even if they suck.

Does a fee like this already exists in the USA? If this fee happens, there goes the chance to see bands like Firewind, Edguy, Primal Fear and the likes tour Canada in the future, because sometimes they play in special venues found by the promoter, not always a music venue.
This sucks bad. You should go and sign the petition even if you're not in the USA.

Not so much a fee, but a tax. The tax is 30% to the Federal Government, in addition to whatever fees and taxes that are collected locally from each show. Marillion made a video a while back letting their fans know why they do not do tours in the USA as often as one would wish because of that 30% tax.

 

[Mardoch]

That fee is the "Promote Canadian Music" fee. They did the same thing in 1997 when Ottawa mandated all music stations playlists must be 2/3 Canadian artists. That is how Nickelback became as big as they did. With this fee, Ottawa is forcing promoters to promote Canadian artists, even if they suck.



Not so much a fee, but a tax. The tax is 30% to the Federal Government, in addition to whatever fees and taxes that are collected locally from each show. Marillion made a video a while back letting their fans know why they do not do tours in the USA as often as one would wish because of that 30% tax.

You're saying this could lead to another Nickleback!? Worth campaigning against!

 

[SF Metal Man]

At least the US tax is on what you actually make. The Canadian fee for a smaller band with lots of members will actually exceed their guarantee. It will literally kill any chance for smaller bands to play Canada. For bigget name acts the cost is insignificant, but to a band that might only draw 200 people or less it will make it cost prohibitive.

 

[labrekk]

At least the US tax is on what you actually make. The Canadian fee for a smaller band with lots of members will actually exceed their guarantee. It will literally kill any chance for smaller bands to play Canada. For bigget name acts the cost is insignificant, but to a band that might only draw 200 people or less it will make it cost prohibitive.

Exactly. However, if I read well, the fee will only apply to venues which are not normally presenting music artists, so to "special" venues a one-time promoter could find to make a band come to his city. But this sucks anyway, Government is already too present in our lives (much more in Canada than almost anywhere in the US), I don't need it to kill music tours in the future...

And yes, it'll endanger most tours of the bands mentioned here, which draw 200-500 per night.

 

[orcslayr23]

That's just outrageous. Actually it's beyond outrageous. I signed it and am forwarding it to everyone everywhere.

 

[Azrael LenGraden]

I would like to hear the government's justification for this.... at it's face value it is total BS.... sad....

 

[DuchessOfDork]

This is hilariously right on the heels of us booking our first show in Canada.

 

[AngraRULES]

FYI, this is a good quote from the article to remind everyone to sign the petition:

“Bigger agencies are now going to stack their tours even more with their own artists and there will be less and less opportunities for young up-and-coming bands to get what we call resume builder gigs. . . . It’s an opportunity to say, ‘We shared the stage with.’ They get in front of a bigger crowd, they can build new fans that way, they get their name out there that way.”

 

[AMBR]

Well, that will effectively kill most tours in Canada. I see bands booking gigs in cities just over the border like Seattle and maybe even Buffalo or Burlington so the Canucks can just head south. Such a shame.

 

[labrekk]

This is hilariously right on the heels of us booking our first show in Canada.

Where in Canada? Hopefully Quebec City?

 

[TribunalRecords]

Canada has been getting tougher and tougher over the last decade, this is only the next step. With measures like this they are going for the bigger acts money, but the little bands are going to lose out as will their fans.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

Where in Canada? Hopefully Quebec City?

It was going to be Montreal, but it looks like we'll have to cancel.

 

[labrekk]

It was going to be Montreal, but it looks like we'll have to cancel.

Because of the new fee? If I understand well, it should not change a thing for shows booked in venues dedicated to music.

Come to Quebec City someday, if it's possible!

 

[Element_man]

The bar portion of Noctis festival was effected by these changes already, 2/3 of the venue take place in bars/clubs and the international bands caused the promoter to shell out lots of money. Luckily the show will go on without changes.

This whole thing is complete and utter fucking bullshit. Total scam and sham.

It effects everyone in underground music: The fans, the international bands, the smaller venues and it comes back to the Canadian bands as well. Our music fanbase is spread too thin, too far to support any proper kind of "metal" scene or whatever. You can't fucking tell me that the 200-400 people that would go see Ensiferum/Warbringer/Cannibal Corpse/whatever in Edmonton are gonna start coming to local band shows to make up for it. I don't want to live in a country where the only metal bands that can afford to tour extensively are 3 Inches of Blood, Into Eternity and Blackguard.

Fuck everything about this. I've printed out a physical petition and I will be attending shows in September to get signatures and will mail it to my MP. Hopefully more people will do this across the country.

Labrekk: The way I read it is that "bars and restaurants" will be effected. Most international bands that come through Edmonton are playing at venues such as The Pawn Shop and Starlite Room. These venues cap at 300 and 600 people respectively. I'm not sure if Starlite Room will be affected, but I'll find out. The next level up is a hall that holds like 3K or 5K. After that it's the stadiums/arenas. This means that bands at the level of Motorhead, Megadeth and maybe Volbeat can get a relatively scott-free gig here.

 

[labrekk]

The bar portion of Noctis festival was effected by these changes already, 2/3 of the venue take place in bars/clubs and the international bands caused the promoter to shell out lots of money. Luckily the show will go on without changes.

This whole thing is complete and utter fucking bullshit. Total scam and sham.

It effects everyone in underground music: The fans, the international bands, the smaller venues and it comes back to the Canadian bands as well. Our music fanbase is spread too thin, too far to support any proper kind of "metal" scene or whatever. You can't fucking tell me that the 200-400 people that would go see Ensiferum/Warbringer/Cannibal Corpse/whatever in Edmonton are gonna start coming to local band shows to make up for it. I don't want to live in a country where the only metal bands that can afford to tour extensively are 3 Inches of Blood, Into Eternity and Blackguard.

Fuck everything about this. I've printed out a physical petition and I will be attending shows in September to get signatures and will mail it to my MP. Hopefully more people will do this across the country.

Labrekk: The way I read it is that "bars and restaurants" will be effected. Most international bands that come through Edmonton are playing at venues such as The Pawn Shop and Starlite Room. These venues cap at 300 and 600 people respectively. I'm not sure if Starlite Room will be affected, but I'll find out. The next level up is a hall that holds like 3K or 5K. After that it's the stadiums/arenas. This means that bands at the level of Motorhead, Megadeth and maybe Volbeat can get a relatively scott-free gig here.

This is indeed total bullshit and uncalled for. I'm wondering if a venue like the Foufounes Electriques in Montreal is affected by this. This is part bar and part music venue...

 

[DuchessOfDork]

Because of the new fee? If I understand well, it should not change a thing for shows booked in venues dedicated to music.

Come to Quebec City someday, if it's possible!

We were going to play a much smaller venue; a bar. So yeah, this definitely effects us. I'd love to go to Quebec City!